Animal rights group takes on fast food chicken giant KFC

ANIMAL rights activists are to target the world’s most popular chicken restaurant chain in their latest campaign against unethical treatment of animals.

PETA, (People For Ethical Treatment of Animals), is to take on KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), claiming to have hard evidence of abusive animal treatment by KFC suppliers.

PETA said it had attempted to negotiate with KFC parent group Yum! Brands in the US for 21 months prior to today’s campaign launch, but that the company had failed to eliminate the worst animal abuses.

“KFC has short-changed the chickens, leaving us no choice but to turn up the heat,” said Director of PETA Europe Dawn Carr. “McDonald’s and Burger King responded to consumer pressure; KFC would do well to follow their lead.”

The animal right’s group wants KFC suppliers to replace electric stunning and throat-slitting with gas killing.

It also wants the phasing out the forced rapid growth of chickens, which causes metabolic disorders and lameness; an increase in the space allotted per bird and the implementation of automated chicken-catching, a process that reduces the high incidence of bruising, broken bones, and stress associated with catching the chickens by hand.

As part of it’s campaign, PETA will unveil ‘Kentucky Fried Cruelty’ posters, leaflets and stickers at a press conference in London today.

PETA will also broadcast footage of abusive animal treatment. Ms Carr said the campaign would extend to Ireland, where there are seven KFC outlets in the Republic and 36 in the North. “There are plenty of animal rights activists in Ireland so whatever form of action we organise around the world will be replicated in Ireland,” she added.

A spokeswoman for KFC said the chain was committed to supplying its customers with 100% whole chicken produced to the highest standards of quality, food safety and animal welfare. “All the suppliers used by KFC in Ireland are contractually required to meet or exceed EU and UK legislative requirements,” the spokeswoman said.

Last year, KFC was involved in controversy at a number of its outlets in Northern Ireland following claims of intimidation of Catholic workers by loyalist paramilitaries.